Brown Bread… A New England Classic
Canned brown bread, also known as Boston bread, is a long lasting shelf stable bread that’s well worth every twist of the can opener required to access it.
B&M traditional steamed bread was famously made in the great city of Portland, Maine for nearly 100 years.*
Although there are many renditions, a traditional brown bread is a basic batter of cornmeal, rye flour, wheat flour, molasses, leavening agents and a few other ingredients. The batter is baked in a can which creates a steam environment; making it a steamed bread. Raisins, cranberries, dates and figs are commonly seen in some homemade brown bread recipes. Although sweet in flavor and dense in texture, brown bread makes a great unique alternative to mainstream breads.
Simply open the can on both sides, gently push from the can, slice, warm and serve. You can’t go wrong with brown bread on a griddle, searing each side in liquid gold a.k.a. bacon grease. YUM!
B&M Brown Bread with Raisins: Item #10130
Slice and serve:
- As a twist for lobster roll
- In place of an English muffin for eggs Benedict
- In bread baskets
- As a breakfast bread selection
- For a toasted ham and brie sandwich
- Seared and topped with melted chocolate, toasted pecans and ice cream
- As croutons
- In a Panzanella salad
*The iconic B&M beans factory in Portland began producing canned brown bread along with baked beans in 1927, and stopped production in 2021. The property was sold to develop a planned technology graduate school, research center, and business incubator that will be part of the Roux Institute1. The factory had been a fixture of the Portland waterfront for more than a century, with the company starting in 1867 and the Portland factory being built in 1913. The closure marked the end of an era for a beloved local company that had specialized in canned meats, vegetables, fish, and notably, oven-baked beans.
B&G Foods Inc. acquired B&M in 1999. B&G is a manufacturer, seller, and distributor of high-quality branded shelf-stable and frozen foods across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Along with B&M, they own a variety of brands such as Green Giant, Crisco, Ortega, and Cream of Wheat. The acquisition has allowed B&M to continue its legacy under the umbrella of a larger food company with a broad distribution network.
[Source pressherald.com, wikipedia.org, wjbq.com, mckinsey.com via Copilot]